Fact Sheet 2008:  NASS Rotating Regional Presidential Primaries Plan * FAQ * Report:  The Case for Regional Presidential Primaries in 2012 and Beyond (February 2008) 2008 Presidential Primary & Caucus Information

NASS was one of the first organizations in the country to call for reforming the presidential nominating system. Adopted in 1999 after four years of debate and deliberations, the NASS Rotating Regional Presidential Primaries Plan aims to address problems related to the front-loaded nominating calendar by establishing a reasonable, logical and fair system that gives every state the chance to play a role.  NASS members hope to bring about its adoption in 2012, thereby giving states time to implement the new system by 2012.

Overview of the NASS Rotating, Regional Presidential Primaries Plan

Under the NASS plan, party primaries/caucuses would be grouped by region beginning in 2016.

• A lottery would be held to determine which region would begin the sequence the first year of the plan. The next presidential election year, the region that held the first position would move to the end of the sequence, and the other regions would move forward.
  
• Iowa and New Hampshire would retain their leading positions in the presidential selection process based upon their tradition of encouraging retail politics.
  
• Primaries/caucuses in each state of a given region would be scheduled on or soon after the first Tuesday in March, April, May or June of presidential election years.

Regional Groupings Under the NASS Plan

East: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

South: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and Guam.

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